Re: Sonic Megamix

I had been posting updates on Megamix here, so I might as well post this one too. Pasted below, in full, is my blog/news post on the subject. Unfortunately, I haven't got the time to really discuss it right now, so this is pretty much just FYI. Things have happened and will happen as they come; please be respectful

Don't worry, it does get better toward the end :P

State of the Mix Address

Introduction

Well, it's that time, I guess. I've got some news to share, and it seems most appropriate to do it now. Sort of a good news/bad news thing, so, I'm going to do the bad news first

Hang in with me until the end; it's not all disappointing

Semper Expunctus

Putting aside my non-fluency in Latin (and Google Translate's singular inappropriate English translation of the phrase), if you're interested in Sonic Megamix, then you probably know about one of the most-"recent" videos I posted about it, which was titled "Never Cancelled". I chose that name due to my frustration with repeated false assumptions that led to actions by members of the public that caused problems for myself, the team, and the project itself, but in the end, it seems to have implied a promise that couldn't be delivered on. Contrary to popular belief and long stretches of no public updates, and disregarding one extremely-short-lived mishap, the project never was cancelled, until now. There is no "I knew this was going to happen"/"I saw this coming"/etc; there was no possible way for the public to actually know what the project's fate would be because there was no truly solid information to indicate one thing or the other. We intended to see it through, we tried, and, incidentally, it eventually became unworkable

Over time, the whole team seemed to just move apart. Lots of stuff has been happening in the lives of each individual member, and the game project Sonic Megamix as it came to be envisioned just sort of crumbled under its own weight. To make the point directly, the team no longer has active graphic artists, level designers, additional programmers, nothing; there's just me. The unfortunate truth is that there is no longer a "Team Megamix"

I won't be looking for any other "members". The essence of what would have been "Sonic Megamix" can't be completely replaced, so to be perfectly honest, I just can't justify holding on to it any longer. That's why the "new game" will never be finished. As much as I would have wanted for it to be, completion of the project was never under my personal control, and it was never a promise that I could keep by myself

From the Ashes

It's not all going to waste. I do, in fact, have plans of my own for what's already been done, provided I have the time to devote to it

First of all, I plan to stick with the cleanup of the original "Sonic 1 Megamix" for a final and not-so-sloppy release. It's not a light task, but it does seem like something I can do by myself

Second, I plan to attempt to make existing new content "presentable" in any way that I can. Some sprites will most likely still be missing, for one, but you should end up with a little something to play with. I don't know in what form this will come, whether some/all of it will be used to augment "Sonic 1 Megamix", presented as bonus content, or released separately altogether

Third, and biggest of all, I plan to continue the engine modification that I described a while back, which restructures the code to run primarily from the SegaCD/MegaCD's SUB-CPU to take better advantage of the platform by using it to improve primary gameplay performance. I will freely release the source code for this engine to the public. This includes some enhanced Megamix core engine code, all Megamix-specific character abilities, and all related debugging and hardware transfer utilities. Anyone who wants to create a game functionally-similar to Megamix will be able to use this to do it. This, however, will not happen until I am prepared to present the engine and its code to the public in its then-current state. It's a project that I have chosen for myself and that I intend to attempt alone until I'm satisfied with what I've done; everyone will have the opportunity to "continue"/expand/modify/use/research it after that point

When is that?

Unfortunately, it's going to be a while. As I've said several times previously, I'm currently occupied with a contract project that's still going to take a good bit of time to complete. None of my personal projects are currently moving ahead, and even if there were still a "Team Megamix", I wouldn't be able to contribute to the project for now anyway

What about Patreon?

As far as my Patreon goes, I need to reiterate that I've clearly stated that I couldn't make any specific guarantees regarding any particular project listed on the campaign page. I hope that no-one was confused about that because, having provided the warning, I can't hold myself responsible for any specific reason that anyone chooses to become a patron. I am sorry that "Sonic Megamix" couldn't be completed as it was envisioned, but I will continue on with my new plans for its material, and I'm still developing HCGE, the project for which the campaign was primarily launched (Sonic Megamix having been noted only as one of a couple of side-projects)

While I'm not actually able to work on any of those projects at the moment, I want to thank those who are still currently contributing to the campaign. Your continued support helps provide me with stability for future progress with my personal projects and creating/acquiring other potential opportunities

Closing

Again, I felt it appropriate to share this information now rather than later, but it's still going to be a while before any of what I have planned surfaces. For now, I'll still be hard at work on the contract project. It's looking like I'll actually be able to reveal (not release) it in the near future, and I feel like many people will be pretty pleased with it if all goes well. Naturally, I'm biased, but I hope you'll agree that it's time well-spent :P

Sad to hear that as Team Megamix was one of the best groups ever, like the SAEGA collective.
I think the community should be very grateful with what you are planning to do with the engine source. It will ensure that the project will live on in one form or another.

The architect of the universe, didn't build a stairway, leading nowhere.

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Joined:22-July 08

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Location:Japan

Wiki edits:16

Stealth, on 02 July 2016 - 05:12 PM, said:

To make the point directly, the team no longer has active graphic artists, level designers, additional programmers, nothing; there's just me.

I would like to clarify here...

I have been designing levels for Megamix for quite some time, we only have two out of the seven levels left to make/redesign before completion. I've been; level designing, object/gimmick programming, level specific programming, and sprite designing (as evidence from that "Never Cancelled" video), and even made some SMPS tracks that were to never be heard in the final release, and that's certainly far more than the predecessor level artists did. The only reason I stopped working on Megamix lately, is because you pulled me out to work on that bone rattle (or whatever you call it) game.

Now I know your intentions were in no way meant to offend, but I do feel offended by this, and embarrassed that everyone may think I'm lazy or something (of which is the reason I'm responding publicly, as opposed to privately, to reflect any possible accusations). If we were meant to go back and continue Megamix, you should have just said something...

...at the end of the day, Megamix is one of those projects that; gets a boost of stuff put inside of it collectively for a short while, then goes into hibernation for a while, and repeat. You know that. It just happens that right now, it's during one of its famous hibernations.

There was no offense. I didn't blame anybody, the thing just died. You're the only remaining member that I've had any contact with remotely recently, and you've had the real life issues you've been telling me about, and you've had the other mini projects you do. The way you churn those out, I don't know how you can be accused of being lazy. I also don't mind confirming that you took on the responsibilities of like five team members over time, and you performed nicely in each field. You just haven't done anything with Megamix lately, and it's not because of Bone Rattle, because you haven't been doing anything with that lately either. It's also died out; once we agreed there was a need to step back from it for a while there's been nothing to do

On the other hand, you've had plenty of stuff that you could be doing with Megamix, including the stuff you were right in the middle of the last time you stopped. I've told you multiple times that I want Megamix to be moving forward, and I tried to give you some leeway with when you got anything done, but nothing ever got done, and for a while now you haven't shown any interest. I did all I could in that regard

Also and since you brought it up, to be perfectly honest, I never understood the team work ethic, at all. By and large, it got to where it took me doing something relatively big to get a small burst of activity going each and every time something stopped. I couldn't just ask; as a general team-wide rule that only worked extremely rarely. I understand motivation and inspiration and all, but seriously, I never could push the team forward without being able to put in the time to do one of my own updates. I can't do that right now, and I don't know when I'd be able to again. I don't know if there's like a certain number of times I have to ask for that to work, but I can't always be the one taking initiative and making gestures. Everybody needs to be on their game

It wasn't working, so I had to deal with the facts and adjust accordingly. The way things had been going with everyone, and considering that I had already made my position perfectly clear, I just assumed that everyone had moved on with their lives and was willing to leave it at that

If you want to do something with the material in the interest of wherever this ends up, then you're still more than welcome. I'm just establishing now what I have planned based on the circumstances, and admitting to the fact that it can't be said that the game "Sonic Megamix" will eventually be pushed out the way it was supposed to go. It's just a loose end that I want tied up

Like whoa, to think this would happen one day. This is very sad indeed to read all that...I wished you and everyone else good luck on your journey.
To think over a decade of dedications on this ROM hack form your team Mr. Stealth. Still, I look forward to see what else you or your former team members will be working on.

As others have stated it's bummer news. I knew from the topic title this was a thread about the project's cancellation. I was hoping to God it wouldn't be but here we are. I think it's really cool of you Stealth to be pushing out one final release based on all that has been completed thus far. Kudos also on releasing the source code. Megamix is one of the best engineered hacks I've ever played if not the best hack I've ever played so the source code is very precious and it's cool that you're releasing and opening it up to the public.

I look forward to Megamix's final release and wish you all the best with your new ventures. It's good to get an update even if it's a sad one.

EDIT: Just one thing that came to mind. If Markey is willing to continue designing levels for the game then surely the project can continue with just two members? Why is this not possible? Sounds like all that happened between you two was miscommunication. Surely the project can push forward if Markey continues his level designing efforts? All it would take is Stealth agreeing to continue his own work. Correct?

You've probably been at this game longer than I have, but I've been following Sonic fan projects since... 2003/2004? And the number of finished products I've seen is so small I can probably list all the good ones on one hand. Well okay two hands. And maybe a foot... but not many!

Megamix has had what... more than ten years of development? Normally this sort of thing would have been cancelled long ago (and kinda was for a bit iirc), so in many ways it's an achievement you even got this far. I look forward to seeing the non-final final release.

Just one thing that came to mind. If Markey is willing to continue designing levels for the game then surely the project can continue with just two members? Why is this not possible? Sounds like all that happened between you two was miscommunication. Surely the project can push forward if Markey continues his level designing efforts? All it would take is Stealth agreeing to continue his own work. Correct?

You'd do best not to count on it. It'll be a good long while before I have time for my personal projects again, of which I have many, and two people is an extremely low number for a game with the scope of Megamix. It already has to be a "free time" thing, so even if we were confident enough to commit to it, we'd seem to be potentially looking at a few more years again. I'll accept anything Markey wants to do, but I won't say that the intended project will reach true completion. We're not in a position to make that claim, and to be perfectly clear, I'm not actually in a position to effectively manage a full project like that right now, especially if creating a "new team" were even a consideration

So, we're still pretty much where we were when I made my original post. I'm sorry, but there's no better way to guarantee that something comes still of this. This is exactly how you should expect it to be handled